Anybody been to an NHL game?

I've got tickets and going to my first one ever. In Raleigh next month, Carolina Hurricanes vs. Colorado Avalache. Don't know what the heck to expect.

 

No but I want to. I've been to a bunch of San Diego gulls games and loved it. I'm a ducks fan, now and plan to go to a couple games this season. Specifically ducks v kings. Post up the results as I'm in the same boat.

 

I got drunk, caught the t shirt they shot out of the launcher, almost got into a fight over the t shirt, made an ass of myself at the bar afterward.

 

Yep, sounds about right. Hockey.

 

NHL games are awesome live and in person. Way better than on TV. You'll have a blast, and be amazed at how fast they skate, how hard they hit, and how skilled they are to do all of that on ice skates.

 

Yes. Fun. Watch the refs. I wish I could skate as well as they do!

 

Is it cold in there?

 

If you are right on the ice, it is a little brrrrr otherwise, just regular indoor sporing event...

 

NHL games are awesome in person. I went to one blow out and I couldn't believe how awesome it was. For the record, I never watch hockey on TV and couldn't even tell you the name of the team from Nashville that I saw (Raptors?).

 

Hockey sucks for me when trying to watch it on tv. In person, it is a lot better.

 

Thanks everybody. I keep hearing that there's no comparison of it between watching on TV and being there, that it's a really wild event. Looking forward to it.

 

You will have a blast. The last game I went to was Blue Jackets vs NY Rangers. I splurged on tickets behind the Rangers bench and my son ended up sitting next to the Rangers back-up goalie. Since he's a goalie too they both ended up chatting the entire game.

Then in between periods one of the trainers taped up a stick that had gotten broken and handed it to my son as they walked into the locker room. Total class. I'm sure it helped that we were decked out in Rangers gear.

And no, it's not cold!

 

The only NHL game I've been to ended 0-0 with NO fights.

 

Went to see the Caps and it was freakin' fun. I keep forgetting to get tickets to get tickets for Sam and my daughter to go again.

What's it like? Whatever you want it to be. I found it to be the most family friendly of all the pro stick and ball sports.

 

Try to get down near the glass in a corner for a play or two if you can. Then you'll see how fast they skate and how hard they hit. Plus these are big boys - 220 pounds of hard.
For the record:
-The MLB action time on a stop watch is 11 minutes for an entire game.
-The NFL action time on a stop watch is 17 minutes for an entire game.
-The NHL action time is 60 minutes - the length of the entire game.

 

The arena will feel cool, maybe even chilly, when you first get there. Once the house fills up you won't notice it anymore. You can smell the ice. Maybe it isn't the ice, but the same arena won't smell the same when a basketball court is laid over the top of it.

It's neat to be down on the glass in the corners because that's where a lot of hits are. The glass will rock back and forth and the players' faces are often mashed up against it. The bad parts about being against the glass are that sometimes a pane will pop out and fall on your head. Also, the glass (well, plexiglass) and the seams between the panes distort your vision of the entire rink. For that reason alone, I prefer to sit where I can see over the glass.

If you sit near the benches, you will hear the thunder when the teams make line changes.

I enjoy watching it on TV, but in person is fantastic. It's a fast sport with constant action. If you are new to it you may lose the puck quite a bit, but if you keep watching you will learn how the puck bounces and runs along the boards. I love hockey. In what other sport to guys zip around in a walled-in battle arena at 2-3 times running speed, with knives on their feet and clubs in their hands, and shoot a rubber bullet around at 100+ mph? Player against player contact is at twice the speed of football. And, if you get caught fighting, they give you a 5 minute break to catch your breath and let the swelling go down, then they send you back in.

The NFL is for pussies.

 

Yeah! Right against the glass/plexi in corners is where the action is. Splatter of blood, sweat and spit and when those guys slam against it and you're not paying attention it'll spook ya good!

 

Here's a shot I took at the Rangers/Sabres game a couple of years ago. Like other have said, the corners is where the action is.

And I'll second what desmo said about the sport. I've coached over 1000 games and played for 33 years. I still get a charge when I lace up on Sunday nights!

 

Great for you! It won't be your last one once it grabs you. Don't sit near the little old lady with the umbrella...she may beat your ass with it! Enjoy and welcome to the fever.


"Went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out." Rodney Dangerfield.

 

I went to my 3rd Canes game a few weeks back on the company dime. We had great seats in the lower level right on the blue line. It was really cool.

It's chilly in there so if you're cold-natured take a jacket (this is NC afterall). The good thing about the PNC arena is that even the nosebleed seats aren't that bad and you're able to follow the action pretty well.

I'm not a hockey fan necessarily, but watching any pro level sport live is worth it.